Elastic-tube-splicing device.



E. A. FRANKLIN.

ELASTIC TUBE SPLCING DEVICE,

APPLIOATION .FILED MAY s1, 1912.

1,081,299,l y Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

/llllrlflllrr Inventor Attorneys EDWARD A. FRANKLIN, OF.AUSTIN, TEXAS.

ELASTl'C-TUBE-SPLICING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

Application filed Hayl, 1912. Serial No. 700,733.

To all 'whom t may concern .r

lle it known that l, EDWARD A. FRANK- LIN, a citizen ot the United. States, residing at Austin, in the county of Travis and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Elastic-Tube-Splicing Device, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in elastic tube splicing devices, the primary object of the present invention b3- ing the provision of a novel form of devife especially adapted for connecting the free ends of tubes, such as the inner' tubes of automobile tires, the same consisting of a number ot telescopic elements so constructed and arranged as to properly position the respective ends of the tubes with relation to each other so as to permit when the splice is made, the proper cement-ing of such ends in a plurality ot circumferential layers or folds, the respective telescopic elements being so positioned as to properly hold the respective terminals of the tubes into co-actlve relation duringn the cementing thereof, yet

j The tubular permitting the easy removal oi the tube from the elements after the ends havebeen properly connected together.

i .further object of the present invention is the provision of aA splicing device for inner tubes having a plurality of three members adapted to be positioned u on one terminal of the tube while the other te escop'ic members are connected upon the other terminal of the tube, all' of said members being disposed for co-active relation to produce the desired folded and spliced ends and to retain such ends'in the desired position 4during the cementing together of the folded and consequently reinforced ends.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed'can be made within the scope of what is claimed Without departing from' the-spirit of the invention. v

ln the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view oit' the various elements of the splicing device detached. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through'two abutting ends of an inner tube, With the splicing device in the position itassumes in carrying out the lirst and third steps of the process. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 wlth the splicing elements in the position they assume in carrying outthe second and fourth steps of the splicing process. Fig. 4 is a similar view for carrying out the fifth and sixth steps of the splicing process. Fig. 5 is a similar view carrying out the seventh and eighth steps of the process. Fig. 6 is a similar view carrying out the final step before the removal of the splic-- ing device from the cemented terminals of the tube. l

Referring to the drawings, the splicing deviceconsists primarily of the main 'tubular member 1 provided with the reduced, tubular horn 2 each of said members being slotted longitudinally, as at 3, for the proper mtrduction and removal of the splice of the inner tube. The member 1 is provided with the annular shouldered portion 6 and with the intermediate portion providing the internal 'and external shoulders 4 and 5, the purpose of which will presently appear; member is further provided with the longitudinal slot 7 by means of which the tube to be spliced ma be more 'readily inserted Within the mem er, While one edge of the material of the slot as at 8, is recessed, the purpose of which ently appear.

The member 9 is formed in the shape of a tube and` is disposed to telescopically litupon the enlarged portion of the member l,

will pres' the same being provided with the annular shouldered portion 10 providedvviththe two opposltely disposed and parallel cleats or anges 11 which are in line with the edges of the longitudinal slot 12 which corres onds to the slot 3 of the member 1. One e ge of the material adjacent to the slot 12 isrecessed as at :13, said recess being similarly shaped to, the recess 8 of the member 1. Diametrically 'disposed lugsY or\\handles 14 are formed integral upon the enlarged annular shouldered portion 10 of themember 9 and constitute a means whereby the said member 9 is readily moved relatively to the member 1, as will lpresently appear in carrying qnt the splicing operation.

The tubular member 15 is disposed to be mounted slidably and exteriorly of the tubular member 9, the same being provided with the annular shouldered-portion 16 having the parallel inwardly rojecting flanges l? which are similar tot e flanges or lugs 11 members are sliding in the of the member 9 and aline with the edges of the longitudinal slot 19, which corresponds to the slot 12 of the member 9. The diametrically disposed lugs or handles 18 are formed integral with the annular shouldered portion 16 of the member 15, while disposed circumferentially of the tubular portion 15 thereof intermediate of its ends, is the bead 20, the purpose of which will presently appear.

The members 1, 9 and 15 constitute the telescopic elements of the male splicing member of the device and are normally telescoped as clearly shown in Fig. 2, all of said elements being disposed for sliding movement relatively to each other and by reason of the recesses 8 and 13 are permitted a slight oscillatory movement, the 4purpose of which will presently appear.

The tubular member 21 is provided with an annular shoulder 22 which is normally 'i disposed in opposite relation to the shoulder 6 of the member -1, said member 21 being slotted longitudinally as at 23 and provided with the recess 24 which is similar in shape to the recess 8 of the member 1 but is disposed upon the opposite side thereto. This member 21 tits telescopically within the tubular member 25, said tubular member 25 being provided with the annular shouldered portion 26 which is disposed to be adjacent.

the annular shouldered portion 22 of the member 21 when in nested or telescopic position, as shown in Fig. 2. The member 25 is provided with the two parallel lugs 27. which correspond to lugs 11 and 17 of the members 9 and 15, all of said lugs engaging their respective slots of the concentric members to prevent the outer membersv from rotating relatively to each other, thus retaining'all of the respective longitudinal slots 3, 12, 19, 23 and 28 in alinement when the finally assembled in the positions, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

Formed circumferentially and eXteriorly of the tubular member 25, is a bead 29 which corresponds to and is of similar shape to the bead 20 of the member 15. These two members 21 and 25 are normally disposed as shown in Fig. 2 and through them is passed one terminal S of the inner tube which when in initial position with relation to the members 21 and 25 is as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The operation and necessary method and process of splicing of the ends S and S of the inner tube is performed as follows: The elements 1, 9 and 15 being positioned, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, with the lugs 11 of the member 9 member 1, to prevent the circumferential movement of the member 9 relatively to the member 1, and the lugs 17 of the member 15 slot 12 of the member 9 are in a position to receive the terminal of the inner tube S, said end being fed through riding in the slot 3 of theV the member 1 either by entrance through the slot 3 or through the end provided vwith the annular shouldered portion 6, the extreme end of the splice S being extended beyond the end of the horn 2, the desired distance to permit. of the folding back thereof upon and exteriorly of the end of member 15, as clearly shown in Fig.- 3.' This end is folded back so as to t upon and project slightly to the right of the bead 20. rEhe members 21 and 25 are now positioned to receive the splice S of the inner tube, whose end is rejected slightly beyond the alined ends of) the members 21 and 25, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and is nally folded back so that the bead 29 is surrounded by the end, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The female member of the splicingv device, consisting of the elements 21 and 25 is now pushed so as to completely surround the horn 2 of the male member.

Assuming the parts to be in the position as shown in Fig. 2, in which the splice S has been threaded through the left hand member of theA device, while the splice S- has been threaded through the right hand member thereof, the extended end of the splice S is turned baekwardly and beyond the circumferential bead 29 to assume the position as shown at the left in Fig. 3. The extended end of the splice S is also turned backward and over the end of the member at the rightso that the sameengages the bead 2O to assume the position as shown at the right in the horn 2 of the member at the right in Fig. 3 is now projected forwardly to causev the parts to assume the position as shown at the right in Fig. 4, whilethe sleeve 25 of the member at the left as shown in Fig. 3 is moved to the position as shown at the left in Fig. 4. The proje'cted end of the horn 2 with the elastic body of the splice on both sides thereof, is now introduced into the turned back end of the splice Sof the member at the left so that the parts will assume the position as shown in Fig. 4, the exterior portion o the turned over or lapped end of the splice S due to the'frictional engagement therewith of the adjacent or concentric portion of the splice S is moved to produce the circumferential bulge, as viewed in Fig. 4, so that when the sleeve 16 is moved to the position as shown atthe right in Fig. 5, such surplus portion of the splice will extendy upon the then projecting ,end of the sleeve 9 to assume the position as clearly shown in Fig. 5, the parts of the member at the left in Fig. 5 *assumingv the same position as shown at the left in Fig. 4. While theparts` are in this interlockin relation, the end of the splice S, dispose in overlap ingrelation to the sleeves 21 and 25 of t e member at the left, is moved or rolled toward Fig. 3. The sleeve 1 carrying the member at the right as viewed in Fig. 6,

Sill

now folded to the left as shown in Fig. 6,"

and thus overlaps the end of the splice S, the overlapping or the adjacent portions of the various layers at this point having been previously cemented so that three thicklnesses of the tube are provided at this point of cenienting, as clearly shown at the bulged or overlapped portion in Fig. 6. To remove the yspliced tube, the sleeves. 1, 9 and 15, which constitute the male member, or the one at the right, are Withdrawn from the female member or the member at the left, and that both members are thus separated.

The tube is noiv passed through the longitudinal slots formed in all of the sleeves of both members and is thus completely spliced and free of the splicing device. ln this Way it will be seen that a treble splice or fold is provided at themeeting ends of the inner tube and that the meeting ends interlock to hold each other and in themselves be properly held in such connected osition, so that after the cement has proper y dried, the various elements may be moved relatively to the tube, and as the respective' longitudinal slots of the members are alined, the tube is readily removed.

By reason of the sliding telescopic connections between the various elements of the device, the necessary stretching and retaining of the tube during theprocess of folding and cementing is carried out, so that when the splice is finally made and dried, there is no undue buckling of the material at such points, as the stretching of the irel spective terminals of the tube has been ident-ical, so that the contraction thereof,

after the removal of the device from the tube will be approximately the same. By reason of the recesses 8, 13 and 24 and their corresponding or registering lugs'll and 17 and one of the lugs 27, the various elements are locked against inward movement when the splice is being formed during the various steps as above outlined, the recesses also permitting a slight rotary or oscillatory movement of the variousmembers with relation to each other. This Will permit of the easy removal ofthe said members and the consequent sliding ofthe same to prevent the carrying of the tube When in the positions as shown in Figs 4, 5 and G. By reason of the diametrically disposed lugs, 111, and 18, the various members 9 and 15 may be readily slid With relation to the member 1, the same providing handles at such points that either the hand of the operator, or if necessary, any implement may be applied to properly operate the said telescopic sections or each other.

.What is claimed is:

1. A splicing device for flexible tubular articles, composed of a male anda female member, each member consisting of a plurality of telescopic tubes slotted lon itudinally, the outer tube having means or receiving and gaging the turnback of the articles to be spliced. l

2. A splicing device for flexible tubularv f articles, composed of a male and a female member, each member consisting of a plurality of telescopic tubes provided with an article withdrawal slot; the outer tube having guiding and locking lugs fitting in `the slot of the inner tube, and also having means for receiving and gaging the fold-back of the article to be spliced.

3. A splicing device for exible tubular articles, composed of a male and female member, the male member consisting of three telescopic tubes, each provided with a longitudinal slot, the inner tube having a reduced portion forming a horn for carrying the turn-back of the article for insertion within the female member, the outer tube being provided with means for receiving vand raging the extreme turn-back of the 72 article.

f1. A splicing device for flexible tubular articles, composed of a male and female member, the female member consisting of two telescopic tubes provided each with a longitudinal slot for the insertion andwith draival of the articles to be spliced, the Outer tube having means for receiving and gaging the turn-back end of the article.

5. A splicing device for flexible tubular articles, composed of a male and female member, the male member consisting of three telescopic tubes, each provided With a Vlongitudinal slot, the inner tube having a reduced portion forming a horn for carrying the turn-back of the article for insertion within the female member, the outer tube being provided with means for receiving and gaging the extreme turn-back of the article; andthe female member consisting of two telescopic tubes providedeach with a .longitudinal slot for the insertion` and Withdrawal of t-lie article to be spliced, the outer tube having means for receiving and gaging the turn-back end of the article.

6. A splicing device for Hexible tubular articles, composed of a male and female member, the male member consisting of three telescopic tubes, each provided With a longitudinal slot, the inner tube having a reduced portion forming a hornfor carry ing the turn-back of the article for insertion Within the female member, the outer tube being provided With means for receiving and gaging the extreme turnsback of the article, the intermediate and outer tubes members relatively to l being` provided with guiding lugs to co-act' es of the slots of' respectively with the edg the inner and intermediate tubes, the innei` and intermediate tubes, each being provided with means for engagement with the lugs of the intermediate and outer tubes respectively to lock the respective tubes against longitudinal movement in one direction.

7. A splicing device for flexible tubular articles, composed of a male and awemele member, the female member consisting o two telescopic tubes provided each with a longitudinal slot for the insertion end'withdrawal of the article to be spliced, tbe cuter memes tube having means for receiving and gaging the turn-back end of the article, the outer tube being'provided with guiding ings to co-ect with the edges of the slot of the inner tube, e. recess being provided in ene edge of the slot of the inner tube to co-act with one lug of the outer tube to lock the outer tube against movement in one direction.

In testimon that I claim the foregoing as my own, l eve hereto axed my signa-` ture in the presence 0I' two Witnesses.

EDWARD A.. FRANKLN.

Witnesses:

C. R. FRANKLIN, @ESMA BoU'rE. 

